Means for attaching a printed circuit card on a relay

ABSTRACT

A substantially rectangular printed circuit board is secured to the yoke of a relay by means of a generally U-shaped holder the web of which is detachably mounted on the yoke. The circuit board is placed with its short edges between the branches of the holder parallel thereto. One short edge and one long edge of the board is retained on one branch and the web respectively of the holder by lugs extending into corresponding slots in said branch and the web. The other branch of the holder is formed with a hook overlying the other long edge of the board pressing the same against the web. The board occupies the space on the yoke normally occupied by the contact spring assembly of the relay and has at its edge held by the hook soldering tags aligned with the general plane of the board. These tags are shaped and located similar to the soldering tags of a contact spring assembly.

D United States Patent 1151 3,674,960 Krantz July 4, 1972 [54] MEANS FOR ATTACHING A PRINTED 3,242,285 3/1966 Obszarny et al. .335 135 CIRCUIT CARD ON A RELAY 2,863,018 12/1958 Rommel ..168 A X/168 A X 3,493,903 2/1970 Ashworth et a1 ..335/135 [72] Inventor: Tore Samuel Krantz, Stockholm, Sweden 3 A I T l f kfi bol t L Primary Examiner-H. 0. Jones [7 1 sslgnee :2 zgg M Encsson AttorneyHane,Baxley& Spiecens [22] Filed: Dec. 17, 1970 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. N0.: 98,981 A substantially rectangular printed circuit board is secured to the yoke of a relay by means of a generally U-shaped holder F A P D the web of which is detachably mounted on the yoke. The cir- 1 pp y ata cuit board is placed with its short edges between the branches Jan. 9, 1970 Sweden ..254/ of the holder Parallel therete- One Short edge and one long edge of the board is retained on one branch and the web 52 us. 01. ..200/168 0, 317/101 cc, 335/ respectively of the holder y lugs extending into eerreepehd- 51 lm. c1. ..H01h 9/02 ing Slots in Said branch and the The other branch of the 5 m of Search 200 1 PC 1 R 1 B 1 8 C; holder 15 formed with a hook overlying the other long edge of 335/135 127 129 3 1 CC i DH the board pressing the same against the web. The board occupies the space on the yoke normally occupied by the contact f spring assembly of the relay and has at its edge held by the [56] Re erences cued hook soldering tags aligned with the general plane of the UNITED STATES PATENTS board. These tags are shaped and located similar to the soldering tags of a contact spring assembly. 3,560,901 2/1971 Horn et al. ..200/168 B 3,573,685 4/1971 Klose et al. ..335/135 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PKYENTEDJUL "4 1972 N VENTOR Tan: SAMUEL Kmm-rz A O RNEYS MEANS FOR A'ITACHING A PRINTED CIRCUIT CARD ON A RELAY The present invention relates to a means for attaching on the spring assembly portion of a relay yoke a printed circuit card having one side provided with soldering tags which correspond to position and shape to the soldering tags of the relay spring assembly.

In the electrical circuits comprised in the relay racks of a telephone exchange there are, in addition to the relays, many other components like resistors, capacitors and semi-conductors of various kinds. The relays are, however, the largest and heaviest components, and so the mechanical construction of the relay racks has been made with regard to the relays. Thus cooperating relays have been brought together in so called relay sets comprising one or several strips on which the relays are mounted. Via a relay set cable the relays are connected to each other and to a terminal means belonging to the relay set. Small components, like resistors, capacitors, semi-conductors etc. which are circuitwise included in a relay set are often to a large extent soldered in their connecting wires on the rear or connection side of the relay set. If possible the components are then soldered directly to those soldering tags on the relays which, in view of the function, they are to be in contact with. Such a soldering of loose components is, however time consuming. In addition, faulty connections easily occur and the connecting wires of the components must often be insulated for eliminating short-circuiting risks. When changes are to be made in the relay set cable, the components are in the way and must often be disconnected. Hence the components are easily mixed up and faulty solderings may be carried out. In order to eliminate these disadvantages trials have been made to bring together such components on printed circuit cards which by means of particular brackets have been arranged in a space in the relay sets meant for relays, each printed circuit card occupying two or several relay places. Since, however, idle relay places are scarce in the relay sets these printed circuit cards have only constituted a limited solution of the problem concerning the placing of the small components.

An object of the present invention is to increase the number of alternatives for placing small components in relay sets by making possible, in a simple and space saving way, the placing of printed circuit cards in idle spring assembly places on relays comprised in the sets. This is according to the invention made possible by an arrangement which comprises a mainly U- shaped clamp whose web is in a way known per se attached on the yoke by means of spring or screw devices and a printed circuit card is kept in place in the clamp by means of protrusions or lugs in the card which fit into openings in the web and a first branch of the clamp while a second branch of the clamp has a hook-shaped notch along one of its sides which grasps the card side remote from the web and presses the card against the web with the part of the card which is stretching beyond the clamp.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 shows in perspective a means for attachment of a printed circuit card and in which FIG. 2 shows the instant of the fitting of the printed circuit card into the means for attachment.

In FIG. 1 reference 1 denotes a printed circuit card inserted in a means of attachment consisting of a U-shaped clamp comprising a web 2, a first branch 3 and a second branch 4, which second branch, by means of a notch along one of its long sides, is shaped as a hook. The printed circuit card is kept in place through the agency of protrusions or lugs 5, 6 and 7, which fit into corresponding openings 8, 9 and 10 (FIG. 2) in the web 2 and the first branch 3 of the clamp. In addition the second branch 4, shaped as a hook, grasps the card side remote from the web of the clamp and presses the card against the web 2. The web of the clamp is, in a way known per se, by means of spring or screw devices attached in a spring assembly place of a relay yoke 11. A part 12 of the card, which extends beyond the clamp, is provided with soldering tags 15 which as to position and shape correspond to the soldering tags of a relay provided with soldering tags spring assembly. Components (not shown) mounted on the card are, via the printed circuits, (not shown) of the card, connected to soldering tags 15, to which the relay set cable is connected in the same manner as to a relay spring assembly. In order to make the best use of the space of the spring assembly location the printed circuit card may, as shown in FIG. 2, be partially prolonged so that it extends above the relay armature, the first branch 3 of the clamp by two bends having been made to follow the contour of the card. Another measure which has been taken for maximally using the space of the spring assembly is to make the card as wide as possible and to provide it with a stair shaped notch 13, where the second branch, shaped as a hook 4, grasps the card.

FIG. 2 show the instant of the fitting of the printed circuit card into the clamp, at which time the card is placed in the clamp with the hook 4 in engagement with the bottom of the notch 13. The next instant concerns the fitting of the lugs 5, 6 and 7 into the corresponding openings 8, 9 and 10 of the clamp. The lug 5 is then at first fitted into the opening 8 and the card is conveyed in the direction of the first branch 3, whereby the hook 4 will bear on the vertical side of the stair shaped shoulder 14 and be bent in the direction of motion. When, at the end of the fitting instant, the lugs 6 and 7 are fitted into the openings 9 and 10 of the clamp web and the card is pressed downwards, the bearing of the hook on the vertical side of the shoulder 14 ceases, the hook springs back, grasps the horizontal side of the shoulder 14 and locks the card on the clamp.

When the card is removed from the clamp, the hook 4 is pressed against the first branch, so that the grasp of the shoulder 14 gets loose, the card is lifted and drawn in the direction from the hook 4 so that the card is somewhat inclined. Because of the shape of the clamp only an inconsiderable part of the space available in a spring assembly location has been used for the means of attachment. Thus, it is possible to use practically all space for the printed circuit card and thereby for the mounting of components. Since one of the branches has been shaped as a hook, it has furthermore become possible to extend the part of the card which is provided with soldering tags beyond the clamp, whereby at the connection of the relay set cable the card may be handled in the same manner as a relay spring assembly which is of importance with regard to manufacturing, The shape of the clamp and the card may be varied within the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A component mounting means attached to a relay yoke at the spring assembly position thereof comprising: A substantially rectangular printed circuit card having at least one lug extending from one longer side thereof and one lug extending from one shorter side thereof, a plurality of soldering tags con nected to the other shorter side of said printed circuit card, a substantially U-shaped clamp for holding said printed circuit card, said clamp having a web and first and second branches, said web and first branch being provided with openings for accepting said lugs in such a way that said one longer side of said printed circuit card is adjacent said web and said one shorter side of said printed circuit card is adjacent said first branch, said second branch being notched to provide a hook for grasping a portion of the edge of the other longer side of said printed circuit card, the length of said printed circuit card being greater than the spacing between said branches so that said soldering tags extend beyond said clamp, and means for attaching said web to the relay yoke.

2. The component mounting means of claim 3 wherein said portion of the edge of the other longer side of said printed circuit card is provided with a notch for accepting the book of said second branch.

3. The component mounting means of claim 4 wherein the side of said notch adjacent said other shorter side of said printed circuit card has a stair-shaped shoulder to facilitate positioning of said hook during mounting and demounting of said printed circuit card. 

1. A component mounting means attached to a relay yoke at the spring assembly position thereof comprising: A substantially rectangular printed circuit card having at least one lug extending from one longer side thereof and one lug extending from one shorter side thereof, a plurality of soldering tags connected to the other shorter side of said printed circuit card, a substantially U-shaped clamp for holding said printed circuit card, said clamp having a web and first and second branches, said web and first branch being provided with openings for accepting said lugs in such a way that said one longer side of said printed circuit card is adjacent said web and said one shorter side of said printed circuit card is adjacent said first branch, said second branch being notched to provide a hook for grasping a portion of the edge of the other longer side of said printed circuit card, the length of said printed circuit card being greater than the spacing between said branches so that said soldering tags extend beyond said clamp, and means for attaching said web to the relay yoke.
 2. The component mounting means of claim 3 wherein said portion of the edge of the other longer side of said printed circuit card is provided with a notch for accepting the hook of said second branch.
 3. The component mounting means of claim 4 wherein the side of said notch adjacent said other shorter side of said printed circuit card has a stair-shaped shoulder to facilitate positioning of said hook during mounting and demounting of said printed circuit card. 